The ocean and its mysteries have inspired art since ancient times. Its unknown landscapes and mystical inhabitants sneak into stories and legends, in the paintings of artists such as Alexander Dzigurski, Wilson Homer or Claude Monet, and also in parades as a dressed fantasy. 2023 has undoubtedly been the year of the reinterpretation of the sea on the catwalks and it seems that it will continue to be transcendental in the industry next year. The latest nod to the ocean in the form of elevated fashion has been signed by Nicolas Ghesquière for Louis Vuitton’s majestic Cruise 2024 collection, presented last spring.
About 400 meters from the coast of Stresa, on the small Isola Bella located on Lake Maggiore, an architectural jewel of the Italian Baroque stands above the water. Last May, the Palazzo Borromeo, surrounded by labyrinthine gardens, became the setting for the French couturier’s woven tale.
An amazing aquatic journey starring mythological creatures dressed in metallic clothing, nylon and billowing fabrics. A parade – literally – through water, as the rain gave no respite to the French house, which was forced to move the great event prepared in the gardens of the exclusive island of the Borromeo family to the interior of the 17th century palace that presides.
Ghesquière’s fashion story, which marks a decade in the creative direction of the brand, begins with a departure of boats at dusk that brings guests and friends of Louis Vuitton to the illuminated dock. Hours earlier the place had undergone a facelift. A large blue carpet that evokes the glamor of Cannes moves between stands with gastronomic treasures of Italian cuisine and branded suitcases strategically scattered around the island.
Inside the palace, the crowd loses itself in the marble halls to the sound of a string quartet and, as they take their seats, familiar faces emerge from the crowd. An elegant and very quiet Jennifer Connelly allows herself to be photographed smiling, already sitting in the front row. Next to her, Alicia Vikander, dressed in a leather and fur design from Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2023 collection. A few meters away, trying to avoid the cameras, Cate Blanchett looks for a space next to Emma Stone. International stars rub shoulders, as is common today, with influencers of different nationalities. In the Spanish front row, figures such as the businesswoman Gala González, the designer Alex Rivière and the model and entrepreneur Vanesa Lorenzo stand out.
The frenzy, however, is silenced with the advancement of the first model. Among the baroque art exhibited in the palace, the collection takes on a majestic air despite being inspired by a natural landscape. The rigidity and earth tones of the previous year’s cruise collection thus give way to a fluid, vibrant and colorful line for 2024.
Sequins, embedded in pants, voluminous skirts and camisoles, are the scaled skin of divine creatures emerging from the depths of the oceans. Medusa and Triton come to life in the collection through glitter-coated helmets, feathers and metallic masks.
The idea of ??mixing fantasy with reality, the morphology of sea creatures with human features, is manifested through silky and transparent fabrics, such as a translucent skirt full of pearls or a light minidress that floats with the model’s accelerated step. But also, and above all, with nylon as the main material. It is surprising to see a Speedy or the Alma, classic bags from the firm, lined with this waterproof material. A twist on traditional bag design that places the brand and its new models at the forefront of luxury.
The final culmination of the Cruise collection is the party dresses. Majestic, long and wavy, like waves that twist as they break on the shore. Ghesquière dyes them in soft tones such as pastel pink, aqua green, a hypnotic orange… and, of course, blue. During the parade, a small applause spontaneously erupts from the seats in the first rows as a transparent dress with silver sequins passes by, combined with pants in the same fabric.
Surprising with a design is today a difficult task on the catwalk, mostly converted into a musical show, sometimes pyrotechnic, with too many stimuli. But the real ovation in this case comes when the designer bursts onto the scene. Anecdotally, two private security agents parade behind him at a fast pace and whispering into the earpiece. It is later learned that her mission was to help one of the guests, Oprah Winfrey, who upon hearing the news of Tina Turner’s death was so shocked that she was forced to leave the parade and miss the after-party.
The weather setbacks and the sad news of the death of the legendary singer do not dampen, however, Louis Vuitton’s Italian-style evening. A night to celebrate the optimistic times that the luxury industry is experiencing, as well as the beauty that comes from the universe that the French brand has created over the years.
